The healthcare information management system is closely monitored by
the United States legal system. Without this legal system in place the
healthcare system would have taken a turn for the worst a long time ago.
HIPAA, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 is
the major law in place that everyone thinks of when it comes to protecting
patient’s health records. This act protects patient’s rights to their own
health records, and also covers patients’ privacy, security and any
breaches that could happen in the electronic health care world. The
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) is
a federal law that required the creation of national standards to protect
sensitive patient health information from being disclosed without the
patient’s consent or knowledge. The US Department of Health and
Human Services (HHS) issued the HIPAA Privacy Rule to implement
the requirements of HIPAA. The HIPAA Security Rule protects a subset
of information covered by the Privacy Rule.
The Privacy Rule standards address the use and disclosure of
individuals’ health information (known as “protected health
information”) by entities subject to the Privacy Rule. These individuals
and organizations are called “covered entities.” The Privacy Rule also
contains standards for individuals’ rights to understand and control how
their health information is used. A major goal of the Privacy Rule is to
ensure that individuals’ health information is properly protected while
allowing the flow of health information needed to provide and promote
high quality health care and to protect the public’s health and well-
being. The Privacy Rule strikes a balance that permits important uses
of information while protecting the privacy of people who seek care and
healing.
Privacy laws are important for patient's so they know their records are
safe and they have control of them and that the data can only be used
in ways agreed to.
References:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2018, September 14).
Health Insurance Portability and accountability act of 1996 (HIPAA).
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved May 3, 2022,
from https://www.cdc.gov/phlp/publications/topic/hipaa.html
